North Carolina citizens can now pay fines and related court costs using their credit / debit card. All courthouses statewide will now be able to accept American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa cards along with a valid government-issued photo ID.

"The credit card payments system is a win-win service," says Judge John W. Smith, director of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts. "Accepting credit / debit cards is more convenient for the public and more efficient for the state."

The credit card payments system provides immediate benefits to citizens, as well as to court officials and staff. While it provides a more convenient payment option for citizens, the system also allows faster end-of-day register close-out procedures for clerks of court with less time spent counting cash drawers. As of May 20, the new system has processed nearly 24,000 transactions statewide totaling more than $4 million.

"We are very excited about the use of credit cards in our office," said Alleghany County Clerk of Superior Court Susie Gambill, project sponsor of the credit card payments system. "This new capability will help the clerks of court throughout the state to serve customers in this most convenient way."

The system has been implemented in all 100 counties throughout the state as of May 2014, ahead of the statute mandate of January 2015. Credit / debit card payments must be $1,000 or less, and can be applied to criminal, civil and other fees – with the exception of alimony, bond forfeiture, cash bonds, child support purge payments, civil judgments, condemnation awards, disputed funds, rent bonds, trusts and upset bids. These categories are exempt because of the increased financial risk involved with these types of payments.

A convenience fee is charged at the time of each credit / debit card payment and is remitted to a third-party company. Except for the convenience fee, most monies received do not stay with the courts but instead go to other state and local government agencies.

Continuing on the technology success of NCAOC's payNCticket program since 2010, the credit card payments system is another convenient epay technology making it easier for citizens to do business with the courts.